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Medieval Age
The Medieval Age is the sixth age available to a player in the game of DomiNations. It is obtained by paying 500,000 gold in the Town Center. This age is succeeded by the Gunpowder Age and is preceded by the Classical Age. Historical Description The Medieval Age is a period of time of history of new systems, warfare, education, and religious conflicts. This age lasted from 600 AD/CE to the mid-1400 AD/CE. The Medieval Age is split into three periods; the Dark Ages/Early Middle Ages (401-1000 A.D./C.E.), the High Middle Ages (1001-1300 A.D./C.E.), and the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500 A.D./C.E.). were an East Germanic tribe. They were first heard at Poland and was probably immigrated to seek protection from the Huns under Attila the Hun. After being mistreated by the Western Roman Empire, they pushed into the Empire and settled in Iberia. They were then attacked by the Visigoths so they fled to North Africa. They then grew infamous for sacking Rome in 455 AD. Their empire stood in North Africa and parts of Italy but were attacked and defeated by the Eastern Roman Empire.|centre]] Dark Ages To begin with, the Western Roman Empire was in decline and the Late Antiquity of the Classical Age ended. Population declined dramatically, literature grew scarce, cities decayed, lack of cultural output, and trade suffered. This became the Early Middle Age or the "Dark Ages", since there were a lot of disadvantages for people living in the West. This age is also known for immigration since the Goths had immigrated settled all around the former Western Roman Empire. The Visigoths settled in Eastern Iberia, the Ostrogoths settled in Italy, and the Vandals settled in North Africa. In the east, the Eastern Roman Empire also known as the Byzantine Empire had still flourished and would reconquer the lost lands on the Western Roman Empire under Emperor Justinian. They had defeated the Ostrogoths and the Vandals and settled in these lands. An Islamic caliphate in the Middle East was established by Muslims and conquered lost Roman lands such as Egypt, Iberia, and the Holy Land (Which would contribute to the Crusades). Like the Byzantine Empire; they flourished and grew technological and advanced in science and architecture. were built by the Carolingian Empire. Many European kingdoms would build castles to help fortify cities and strategic positions. Castles would also be housing for the nobility as well. England (a British country) would build castles in Wales (a British country; was conquered by England by King Edward I/Longshanks) as palaces and fortresses for the King. ]] Back to the West, the Franks, now converted Catholic Christians, had sought to conquer the remains of West Europe. They eventually defeated neighboring Germanic tribes, stopped an Islamic advance at Tours, and covered much of Western Europe forming the Carolingian Empire. The empire had adopted Roman culture, helped gave power to the Latin Catholic Church, helped built monasteries to preserve literature, increase trade in Europe, and stopped the decay of growth of Western Europe under the rule of the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne. New innovations were created such as the plow and three-field planting. In the North, the people living in the Scandinavian Peninsula had pillaged towns and villages around the North and Baltic Sea. They raided villages for treasures and food. They were known as the Vikings. Not all Vikings are bad; many were explorers, farmers, and traders as well. The Vikings had explored and settled in Iceland, Greenland, and even parts of North America. The Vikings were extremely involved in the network of trade and help gave rose to the economic development of Europe. The Viking raids gave fear to many people around Europe. Many people asked nobles for help so the nobles in return asked the people to work for them in exchange of protection. This was how feudalism started. As stated in Wikipedia on the definition of feudalism, "Broadly defined, it was a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour." Feudalism includes three estates of the realm; the clergy, the nobility, and the peasantry and revolves around three concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs. Feudalism was encouraged and grew during the reign of Charlemagne. would serve their lords and kings and would be placed in the army and are required to follow chivalry; a set of rules for knights. These units can attack from horseback or by foot. They would usually fight in exchange for land and a few serfs.|left]] High Middle Ages At 843 AD/CE, the Carolingian Empire splitted into two kingdoms: France and Germany due to opposing kings concluding the "Dark Ages" and gave rise to the High Middle Ages. The High Middle Ages are renown for a large population boost, developing urban and rural communities, political changes, an economic increase, revivals in education, and common Medieval warfare. This ended by the Black Death; a plague that killed over 75 million people ending the High Middle Ages and starting the Late Middle Age. North of the Alp Mountains of Western Europe, lands that were reverted back to wilderness during the Roman Empire were reclaimed and used for different purposes. Forests were cleared to build more farms and cultivated. The Frankish Empire expanded to thrice its size. Last of all, the first Gothic Cathedrals were built in Europe. Constantinople in Anatolia (Asia Minor) remained the wealthiest and largest city of Europe currently. After Charlemagne's death at 814 A.D./C.E., his heirs wanted the throne and failed the keep the unity that held the Frankish Empire. The Empire split, with its heirs as its kings of two newly formed kingdoms; France and Germany; the banner of the Holy Roman Empire. By the 11th century, many Barbaric invasions ended. The Magyars; an Eastern tribe that raided and controlled lands across Europe; ceded their expansion and were converted into Catholic Christians. They created their own Christian Kingdom of Hungary and this kingdom was recognized by its neighbors. The Vikings also converted to Christianity and stopped raiding. They formed the Christian Scandinavian Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Knights became common during this era. Knights are used as heavy cavalry by many European Kingdoms and are used for charges against weak infantry and sword combat with other knights. Even though peasants cannot rise up to society and was owned by a master for their entire life, knighthood was the only chance to freedom. Knights must follow a set of rules known as chivalry in order to remain a knight. They have to be devoted to a Christian life, well-mannered, and ethical. Refusal either one of these rules and they'll be stripped of being a knight. Knights have more power, could gain a little land, and their rank are above peasants and serfs. The Catholic Church remained the most powerful power of Europe; even though they lost some power from the Great Schism; a separation of the Christian Church into two Churches; the Catholic Church of Rome and Western Europe and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Empire due to disagreements. Christianity became the main aspect of life for the common man in Europe. Not believing it or changing Christian doctrine resulted in heresy and execution or excommunication; for examples, the Cathars and the Waldensians. In the east, although the Byzantine Empire is prosperous, it is suffering due to inefficient monarchs and its adversary; the Bulgarian Empire. When Basil II took the throne, he succeeded in leading the Empire in crushing their Bulgarian adversary and helped the Byzantine Empire gained back its power and prominence. However, Basil II's influence would not last long since there's a larger threat to the Byzantine Empire; the Islamic Seljuk Empire. Failures to defeat the Seljuks resulted in the loss of a large amount of land of Anatolia where the Seljuk Empire settled dangerously close to the Byzantine Empire's capital; Constantinople. In the west, the island of Great Britain had struggled against Viking raids. The Heptarchy of England had weakened and Mercian influence had declined due to the Danes. The Danes had defeated many of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England such as Northumbria and East Anglia. However, the Danes struggled to defeat the kingdom of Wessex. Wessex was a rising kingdom of the Heptarchy when the the kingdom of Mercia was in decline. Wessex had succeeded in defeating the Danes and recaptured most of England. However, another Danish army came and invaded England and pushed Wessex back. When Alfred took the Wessex throne at 871 A.D./C.E., he defended Wessex from the Danes and recaptured back Mercia in a series of battles against the Danes. His successors would expand the kingdom of Wessex, expand Wessex influence, and form the Kingdom of England. The Vikings; now christianized, formed the Kingdom of Denmark and became more advanced than their ancestors. In 1003 A.D./C.E., Denmark invaded England under King Sweyn and defeated the English under King Æthelred to avenge a massacre on the Danish by the English. Sweyn successfully defeated the English and took the throne. King Æthelred would later take back the throne after Sweyn died. His son; Edmund would repel another Danish invasion led by King Cnut in which he will be defeated. The Danish hegemony would end when Edward: son of King Æthelred would later take back the throne. Edward would not make any heirs and had promised to give William; duke of Normandy the throne of England. He later broke his promise when he gave the kingship to Harold Godwinson which will enrage William and made him scale an infamous invasion. In 1066 A.D./C.E., William found that his allies: the Norwegians and their English rebel allies, were defeated by Harold Godwinson at Stamford Bridge. Alone, he and his Norman army crossed the English Channel and invaded England. Harold and his Anglo-Saxon army marched back to counter the Norman forces. William and Harold met in battle in Hastings. William had brought cavalry and archers against Harold's infantry and archer forces. With the tactic of pretending to flee in panic and then attack their pursuer, the Normans won the Battle of Hastings and killed Henry Godwinson. Later, after a few skirmishes, William was crowned William I of England at Christmas. In 1088 A.D./C.E., the first university in the world was founded; The University of Bologna. The university settled in Bologna in the Italian Peninsula. The University of Bologna would still be open till today. Many universities would follow suit; Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, Salamanca, and Palua. In 1095 A.D./C.E., Pope Urban II issued a Crusade against the Muslim Caliphate to help defend the Byzantine Empire from the Seljuks and help recapture the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the ruling Caliphates and free the Eastern Christians (First Crusade). One of the reasons he did this was so he can expand the Roman Catholic Church's power and influence over the Eastern Orthodox Christians after the Roman Catholic Church suffered a blow after the Great Schism. After recent Crusades that resulted in failure (The People's Crusade and the Children's Crusade), an army of knights and serfs sailed across the Mediterranean Sea and captured the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the caliphates; either for riches or overzealous faith; resulting in the success of the First Crusade. However, innocent citizens; Christians, Muslims, and Jews, were massacred by the Crusaders. The Crusaders created four states from the captured Holy Land; the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the County of Edessa. By the capture of the Holy Land, Europeans can now trade internationally with the Muslims Arabs with Asian goods they had never seen before; notably gunpowder. However, at 1147 A.D./C.E., the County of Edessa fell to the Muslims. The Roman Catholic Church called for another Crusade (The Second Crusade) against the Seljuks again. Germany and France built their forces to recapture back Edessa. The armies were crushed by the Seljuks at Anatolia. Rumor held that the Byzantine Empire double-crossed the Crusaders and helped the Seljuks to defeat the Crusaders. The remnants of the forces sailed to the Holy Land but due to poor battle planning, they were defeated by the Muslim Arabs. The only victory by the Crusaders in the Second Crusade was when the Crusaders helped Portugal to capture Lisbon; the city that one day would become Portugal's capital. In Northern Germany, German archbishops sought to help convert the Pagan West Slavs in the east through missionary work. But due to the preparation of the Second Crusade, a papal bull sought to go offensive on the Slavs. Christian Kingdoms and Principalities such as Denmark, Poland, Brandenburg, and Meissen built their forces and invaded the Pagan Slavs' homeland at 1147 A.D./C.E. This was the Wendish Crusade. The Crusade was a success and the Slavs paid tribute to the Crusaders. However, the primary goal of converting the Pagans failed. Late Middle Ages In the 1300s, a devastating event occurred; the Black Death. The Black Death was a disease that killed 75 million to 200 million people resulting in a decline in feudalism and the power of the Catholic Church. The High Middle Ages died out because of it and the Late Middle Ages begun. During the Late Middle Ages, new arts and sciences were renowned in Italy forming the Renaissance. Warfare was also an interest in the Late Middle Ages. England and France competed for the throne of France in the Hundred-Year War. In the Middle East, the Muslims formed the Ottoman Empire and captured the Byzantine Empire ending the Medieval Age. Gunpowder was discovered in China from the Silk Road. New guns were created changing warfare like never before. The Gunpowder Age had just begun. Advancements After advancing to the Medieval Age, players are given a new set of buildings to build, technologies to research, and units to create. Buildings that are available at the Medieval Age are an ambush trap, ballista tower, caltrops, catapult, spike trap, tower, a set of walls, a caravan and a farm, a set of roads, and a castle (new). In the blacksmith, you can upgrade the phalanx (heavy vandal if Germans, samurai if Japanese, heavy legion if Romans) to the pikeman (landsknecht if Germans, heavy samurai if Japanese, Caesar's legion if Romans), the archer (elite longbowman if British, elite chu ko nu if Chinese) to the crossbowman (king's longbowman if British, royal chu ko nu if Chinese), the cavalry raider to the heavy cavalry raider, the cataphract (heavy chevalier if French, royal companion if Greeks) to the knight (elite chevalier if French, heavy royal companion if Greeks), the wall miner to the veteran wall miner, and receive the ballista and the supply cart. In the castle, you can also receive generals. The generals available in this age are Cleopatra and Alexander. Details Gallery Town Center German Medevial.jpeg| North European-style Town Center in the Medieval Age (Level 6) Library-0.jpg| Japanese Oriental-style library in the Medieval Age (Level 2) Stable.jpg| The Level 3 stable are unlocked in the Medieval Age Trivia Further Reading * Middle Ages at Wikipedia Category:Ages